‘Thou shalt have six hundred men,’ saith our King,
‘And chuse them out of my realme so free;
[Moreover] mariners and ship boyes,
To guide the great ship on the sea.’
X
‘I’le goe speake with Sir Andrew,’ says my Lord Howard;
‘Upon the sea, if he be there;
I will bring him and his ship to shore,
Or before my prince I will ne’er come neere.’
XI
The first of all my Lord did call,
A noble gunner he was one;
This man was three score yeares and ten,
And Peter Simon was his name.
XII
‘Peter,’ says he, ‘I must sayle to the sea,
To seek out an enemy; God be my speed!
Before all others I have chosen thee;
Of a hundred gunners thou’st be my head.’
XIII
‘My lord,’ says he, ‘if you’ve chosen me
Of a hundred gunners to be the head,
You may hang me at your maine-mast tree
If I miss my mark past three pence bread[1137].’